October is Pumpkin Patch Month and every year I help my friends at Bettencourt Family Farms welcome children who come to pick out a special pumpkin for a class project. And, every year I treat myself to a new pumpkin-themed book. I’m happy to share my new seasonal favorite on Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday link up.
PICK A PUMPKIN
By Patricia Toht (author) and Jarvis (illustrator)
Candlewick Press 2019
Fiction picture book for pumpkin lovers of all ages
Themes – Pumpkins, Holidays, Fall
Opening lines:
Pick a pumpkin
from the patch-
tall and lean
or short and fat.
Vivid orange,
ghostly white,
or speckled green
might be just right.
This book is written in child-friendly perfect rhyme (which is not an easy thing to do) and shows the pumpkin adventures of a happy family as they choose, clean, and creatively carve pumpkins.
The lush layered illustrations have a vintage look showing a diverse group of children enjoying all aspects of the Halloween season.
This is such a fun book to read out loud to a group of children – especially at a pumpkin patch.
I love spending the day at the pumpkin patch!
Here they come!
After learning about the life cycle of pumpkins and the various varieties, the search is on!
The children chose interesting pumpkins (and one boy picked a turban squash)
Isn’t this a perfect spot to read?
Snack time! These are peeled clementines with celery stems. Don’t they look like little pumpkins?
Time to play –
Pumpkin Toss
Broom Relay Race
and a scavenger hunt (feel free to copy and paste this for your own use)
Thanks for stopping by. Comment if you’d like – I’d love to hear about your favorite pumpkin books.
It makes sense that a Pumpkin book would come from an Illinois author. Illinois is the biggest grower of pumpkins. Living in the country you get loads of choices for heading into a pumpkin patch.
I love pumpkins and Halloween. Thanks for sharing your adventures and this book.
I hope I get to read it before Halloween. There were quite a few holds on the copies in our system.
I’ve been waiting for this book. Ever since Pick A Pine Tree released! Congrats Patricia!
Where’s the pumpkin patch? I saw a picture of Ava ❤️❤️❤️
Yes- Ava’s class came. Great bunch of kiddos!
Yikes it’s just down the street from me
That a lovely autumn book. I love the rhyming and the gorgeous illustrations.
I love picking pie pumpkins and freezing 2 Cups of cooked pumpkin in 2 qt bags for the holidays.
That’s a great idea to freeze pumpkin. I think I’ll give it a try!
Lovely book for around Halloween time and anytime you fancy pumpkin. Great choice. So loved all the beautiful pics too.
I’m really having fun sharing it with kids.
I miss pumpkin patches from the states! Thanks for highlighting Patti’s book!
My kids in Nicaragua are missing them too. My son-in-law requested that we bring canned pumpkin on our the last visit!
Looks like a fun day, Claire. Thanks for highlighting the book.
I always look forward to pumpkin patch time.